2002 Nippon Series Game 2

A few pitches later, Little Matsui grounds out to second for the first out of the game.

Tatsuya Ozeki, after a number of foul balls, grounds a ball up the middle, just right of the second base bag. Nishi tried to backhand the ball, an it went off his glove toward short. Might have been a good start for a double play, but it's being called an infield hit.

Katsuhiko Miyaji grounds a ball to Kiyohara at first, he dives, and misses! Nishi, backing him up, fields the ball and tosses to Kuwata covering. The toss is in time, and Miyaji is out. But Ozeki moves to second.

Alex Cabrera gets hit on his right elbow and has some words to say with Abe, Kuwata, and a few others, but doesn't make any threatening moves.

Kazuhiro Wada, 0 for 4 in the first game, but a real pain to those who pitched around Cabrera during the season, walks on five pitches to load the bases. (That fouth pitch looked like a strike to me, but...)

With Hirosh Hirao at the plate, Kuwata turned and threw to second in an attempt to pick off Cabrera. In the mean time, Ozeki dashed for the plate. The ball is thrown to the plate, Abe touches the sliding Ozeki ... out! Hmmm. From the outfield angle I'd say that he was safe, but from behind the plate, I agree with the call. Ozeki, however, didn't.

But the umpire has the final say, and the side is retired.

Ishii, who has a career 10 and 3 record at Tokyo Dome (againt the Fighters) is on the mound, starting Game Two for the Lions.

Shimizu led off the bottom of the first with a line drive to the wall in right. Ozeki made a great jumping catch on the run to bring it in for out number one.

Nioka followed with a base hit past Matsui at short for the Giants' first base runner of the night.

Takahashi hit a high bounder to Cabrera at first. He grabbed the ball and walked to first to make the out himself. Nioka moved to second on the play. Hmm. Something looks familiar here...

Matsui rips a line drive to left-center. One bound, and Nioka is rounding third while the ball gets played. The Giants strike first! The throw to second is off line, allowing Matsui to go in standing up. Hey, they might have gotten him with a good throw.

Former Lion Kiyohara, after three straight balls and watching two straight strikes called on the inside corner, ground out to Matsui at short to retire the side.

But the Giants struck first and lead after one complete 0-1.

Hirao, who was at bat when Ozeki was touched out at the plate, flied out to Takahashi in foul territory in right for the first out.

Itoh, in his 69th Nippon Series game (3rd most), fails to check his swing on a pair of Kuwata offerings and is out on strikes. Two down.

Ishii, not looking at all comfortable in the batter's box for the first pitch, looks pretty good fouling Kuwata's second offering back. He fouled another pitch off, but looked at strike three for the final out. (Note, Ishii is the #8 batter as Ihara-kantoku wants H. Takagi in the #9 slot to "connect" with Matsui.)

The Giants' #6 batting Abe lifts a high fly to center which is taken in for the first out. Abe then did some strange acrobatics rounding first, but is out nonetheless.

Etoh rips Ishii's first offering right at the third baseman on a bound, and is thrown out - two quick outs.

Nishi follows by grounding to short on three pitches, and the side is retired. I don't thing Ishii even threw 9 pitches that inning. That was fast!

#9 batting H. Takagi leads off the third with a base hit in front of Matsui in center. Hey, there might be something with having the pitcher bat #8.

Kazuo, who had 193 base hits this season (3rd most for a single season in both leagues), grounds a ball to Nioka at short going toward second. He touches the bag himself and throws on to first to do the improbable, double up Matsui.

The Lions now have nobody on and two down. With that, Ozeki pulls a ball to Nishi at second, and it's an easy third out.

Kuwata sure does work slow with a runner on. I always had the impression that he was a quick paced pitcher.

Sounds like things are going down in the bottom of the third...

Kuwata leads off the bottom of the third, and he's not really a typical easy tu pitcher. He batted .294 during the regular season. I'm sure that that's the best amoung pitchers to go along with his top ERA title. And true to form, he hits a come back one bounder over Ishii's head and directly over the second base bag. Neither middle infielder could get to the ball, and he's got a lead off base hit.

That brings us back to the top of the order in Shimizu. Hmmm. Third inning, pitcher got a base hit. Shimizu at the plate. Haven't I seen this before? Well, this time he didn't park the ball into the right field stands, but he got it over Cabrera's head and into right field. Kuwata got a great break and ran all out all the way to third! Great base running by Kuwata to put runners at first an third with nobody out.

Nioka gets his fith hit in a row (tied record for a Giant in the Nippon Series), going the other way to right, to drive in Kuwata with ease. This was was hit harder than Shimizu's, so Shimizu has to hold at second.

This prompts a meeting at the mound. But Ishii stays in.

Takahashi grounds the ball up the right side. Takagi dives at the ball, it hits his chest and bounces out. Shimizu kicks third and digs for home where he slides over without a throw. The other runners hold at first and second.

Now Matsui drills the ball through the right side of the infield as well. Nioka has no ideas of holding at third and goes right on home. The throw is cut off and relayed to third, but not in time to get Takahashi. The Giants now lead 0-4.

And Ishii is gone. Hsu comes in in emergency long relief.

And the first batter he faces is Kiyohara, who goes down swinging on a low-inside pitch (after not being fooled on a low-outside pitch). That's just the first out of the inning as the Giants put together a three run rally on five consecutive singles.

Abe, though, tries to revive the hit parade taking Hsu's first offering to right. Takahashi trots in to score, and Matsui heads to third on yet another single to right. That's Abe's first hit of the Series.

Etoh, also looking for his first hit of the Series, lifts a high pop up to the left side of the infield. Matsui gets a little off the third base bag just in case the ball isn't handled. But Little Matsui has no trouble and takes it in for out number two.

Nishi goes the other way into the right-center gap. And the ball hits at the base of the wall. This will clear the runners as Nishi goes into second standing up. The Giants now lead 0-7.

Kuwata, who led off the inning with a base hit up the middle, lifts a high fly ball to foul territory just behind first base. Cabrera calls for it, and takes the ball in.

But the Giants put together 6 singles and a double to score 6 in the third. At the end of three complete, the score is now Lions 0 - 7 Giants.

Miyaji took Kuwata's first offering of the fourth up the middle for a lead off base hit. Chance!

Cabrera, swinging at a no strike, three ball count, gets a base hit through the left side, pulling an outside pitch! Now that takes power.

Wada grounds to Nioka at short, who steps on the second base bag, and throws to first for a double play. Miyaji goes to third on the play.

Hirao strikes out swinging on a full count pitch, and the side is retired. Kuwata gets out of the pinch again. He is good under pressure.

Giants' lead off man Shimizu starts the inning by striking out swinging. One down.

Nioka gets nothing but strikes from Hsu, and fouls a lot of them off before grounding out to second. That ends his quick little hitting streak at five at bats in a row.

With two down, Takahashi swings at air a couple of times and goes down swinging. Hsu retires the Giants in order.

We're at the half-way point, and the Lions need to figure Kuwata out pretty soon.

Itoh grounds a come backer on Kuwata's first pitch of the inning up the middle, but it's well within Nioka's reach, and he's thrown out.

McClain comes in to pinch hit, and fouls out to Kiyohara near the first base coach's box. Two down. (That yellow goatie doesn't look natural.)

Takagi battles a bit, but pops out to the left side of the infield to see Seibu go down 1-2-3.

Mitsui comes in to pitch for the Lions. And Noda comes in to catch. McClain also stays in the game in the #8 spot and is playing third base.

Matsui gets hit on his right elbow. After standing up, he just brushed the trainer aside and walked up the first base line. He didn't feel the need to say anything.

Kiyohara, after fouling off a couple of full count pitches, failed to check his swing on a high offering over the plate, and is down on strikes.

Abe was completely fooled on an outside breaking pitch and swung weakly for the second out.

Etoh lifts a high fly ball to center. The fans think it's got the distance, but it doesn't. The ball is taken in and the side is retired.

Saitoh and Motoki come into the game defensively for Kiyohara (at first) and Etoh (at third) respectively.

The Lions are at the top of their batting order in Matsui. While he battled Kuwata well, he ended up flying out to Shimizu on the run in foul territory in left. One down.

Ozeki, though, gets his second hit of the evening as he gets one to bounce just in front of a charging Matsui in center. The Lions need to take advantage of this chance - really bad.

And Miyaji does! He rips a double into the right field corner! Takahashi is over there quickly, and holds Ozeki at third.

Now it's up to Cabrera. Guest commentator Kaefu mentioned that the Lions' biggest hole so far has been Wada, who follows, making it so that one doesn't have to pitch to Cabu-san. Kuwata was in with strike one, but his second pitch wasn't close. Cabrera hit a ball out of the dirt and outside to second - playing normal. The play is at first, and the Lions have a runner across. Miyaji went to third on the play at first.

Wada hits the ball to the left side. Motoki grabs it and fires to first. Three down.

But the Lions did managed to get a runner across. That makes the score Lions 1 - 7 Giants.

Nishi popped out to second to lead off the bottom of the sixth.

Kuwata, naturally, will be batting for himself. After thinking about a brushback pitch for a while, Kuwata stepped back into the batter's box swinging. One empty cut and two foul balls later, Kuwata popped out to shallow right field for the second out of the inning. Kuwata wasn't intimidated by that in-high fast ball.

Shimizu didn't waste too much time in flying out to center to have the side retired in order.

Taisei Takagi comes in pinch hitting, and hits a dribbler down the third base line. Motoki rushes in, throws to first, and gets him. One out.

Noda, who is being groomed to take over the catching duties from Itoh, lifts a high fly to foul territory just behind third. Motoki calls for it, and takes it in for out number two.

McClain, who's goatie definately doesn't match his hair color (looks like Hulk Hogan there at home plate), worked the count full - despite Kuwata and Abe breaking for the dugout on ball three. He then hit the ball just left of center. Matsui's watching it, and it bounces off the top of the wall. The throw back, and McClain is head sliding into second as the throw is just off line enough to get there safely.

Hiroyuki Takagi goes the other way with a short liner, but Nioka only has to make a step to his right to get it, and the side is retired. The Lions are down to two chances.

With the Fire Girls dancing in front of the Giants' dugout, Kuwata is heading toward the showers. Almonte, with a clover sticking out of his mouth - reminiscent of Dokkaben - is warming up.

S. Mori comes in to pitch for the Lions.

And Nioka greets him with yet another base hit to right.

With Nioka running, Takahashi rips one through the game on the right side (yet again). Nioka goes all the way to third on the base hit.

Matsui, after taking strike one down the middle, swung and missed a pitch in the dirt. Mori's third pitch was given a ride to the wall just right of center. One run in. Takahashi rounds third... The relay from Matsui behind the second base bag is a strike to the plate. Takahashi is tagged out as he tries to take out Noda. But he's called out. Matsui goes to third on the throw.

Motoki follows by taking Mori's first offering deep enough to right to score Matsui from third, and the Giants have their 9th run of the evening.

Abe goes down on three pitches, watching the last one for out number three.

But the Giants struck with two more runs in the inning to increse their lead to 1-9. Another blow out.

Okajima comes in to relieve Kuwata. And he'll face the top of the Lions' order.

When Little Matsui struggles, the Lions struggle. And he fails to check his swing and is down on strikes.

Ozeki fouls out to Motoki for the second quick out.

Inubushi now comes in as a pinch hitter. Known as a "lefty killer," the 12 year veteran draws a walk after working the count full.

That brings up Cabrera. Both of his hits this Series have been on bad pitches. But he gets a first pitch strike from Okajima and hits the ball into the right field stands in what seeme like less time than it took for the pitch to get to the plate! And Tokyo Dome is deafly quite! The ball was a little high in the strike zone, but Cabu-san got it all.

Wada, after getting lucky with Abe dropping the ball in front of the Giants' dugout, lined the ball up the middle. Matsui started in, then went back and to his right a couple of steps to take it in. That's three down.

But the Lions got a pair of runs on Cabrera's two run homer to right. They now trail 3-9.

Ohtomo, now in center, was welcomed to the game when Saitoh (came in defensively earlier) hit a fly ball to right center. Ohtomo, on a dead run, managed to get to the ball in time for the out.

Nishi pulls the ball just in the third base line, and pulls into second with a one out stand up double, his second double of the night.

Yoshinaga comes in to pinch hit. And he battles Mori well, holding the count full with a couple of foul balls. In the end, he shows enough patience and is rewarded with a walk. Suzuki comes in to pinch run for him.

Shimizu lifts the ball deep to center, but well within Ohtomo's range. He takes the ball in, and Nishi breaks for third. He's in there without a throw. Runners at first an third with two down.

Nioka goes toward right again, but this time it's a routine fly ball. The Giants threatened, but didn't score.

We got to the Lions' last chance with the score Lions 3 - 9 Giants.

Maeda climbs the mound for the 9th inning for the Giants.

Pinch hitter Satoh leads off the inning with a double over Takahashi's head and off the wall! That's a good start.

Noda ground the ball toward the right side. Saitoh fields the ball and shovels to the covering Maeda for the fource. Satoh goes to third on the play.

McClain works the count full against Maeda before grounding to Motoki at third. Satoh comes in on the play at first, and the Lions are now down by only five.

H. Takagi grounds an easy ball to second, which is thrown to first, and the ball game is over.

The final: Lions 4 - 9 Giants.

So it's Kudoh for the Giants in game 3, yeah? Don't know about the Lions. This is looking like a sweep. I don't think any of us expected that.

Michael, it's awfully nice of you to post the play-by-play, very considerate.

(sorry, that's me giggling cause I get to watch it live)